Clamping device



.Patenteci Jan. 17, 1939 Luther T. Stringfield, Raymondville, Tex., assignor of forty-nine one-hundrcdths to N. G. Parr,

Willacy County, Tex.

Application June 9, 1937, Serial No. 147,389

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a clamping device, the general object of the invention being to provide means whereby pipes, bars and other objects can be readily bent into various shapes.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a frame for supporting clamping jaws in various positions, whereby various articles can be bent into the desired shapes.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing a part of the frame and a pair of the clamping jaws attached to the bottom flange thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a part of the frame, showing the clamping jaws in a difierent position and attached to the vertical flange of the frame.

Figure 4 is a view of the inner face of one jaw.

Figure 5 is an end view of said jaw.

In these drawings, the letter A indicates a frame, which is shown as of rectangular shape and formed of angle iron to provide the horizontal flange I and the vertical flange 2, both flanges being provided with numerous perforations 3. A fiat bar 4 is located in the central part of the frame and extends longitudinally, and this bar is also provided with a plurality of perforations 5.

This frame and its bar are adapted to support in various positions, any desired number of clamps B. Each clamp comprises a pair of jaws 6 connected together by a bolt 1, the jaws each having a pair of holes 8 therein, either one of which is adapted to receive the bolt. By tightening the nut 9 on the bolt, the jaws can be adjusted to clamp an object between them. Each jaw has a flat end and a rounded end and one face of each jaw is formed with a U-shaped curved bevel ill, see Fig. 4, which extends around the edge of the jaw, starting at one side of the flat end, around the two side edges and the rounded edge, and terminating at the other side of the flat end, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Thus the space formed by the beveled edges of the two jaws will conform to a rounded object, such as a pipe, or rounded bar, and the peculiar shape of the jaws will facilitate the formation of a rounded bend in a pipe or the like, as shown in the lower lefthand corner of Figure 1. Of course, this form of clamp will permit the article to be bent into U-shape and by using two of the clamps, as shown at the right lower corner of Figure 1, an article can be bent into U-shape with a long and straight bight.

By placing the bolt in the holes 8, which are adjacent the rounded end of the jaws, the rounded end can be clamped down much tighter on a pipe while making return bends, then the rear end of the clamp, so as to avoid expansion or buckling of the pipe while the same is being bent.

If desired, shims can be placed between the jaws to widen the socket formed by said jaws, so that the device can be used on large sized articles. Also, the two jaws can be placed with their flat faces innermost and then the device can be used for bending flat iron or the like. The device can be used for holding pipes or the like while they are being out or threaded, thus eliminating the use of a plumber-s bench vise.

A clamp can be bolted to a bar for lever bending and can be conveyed about in the hands for light plumbing work, as of course the clamp can be used without the frame. The frame can be bolted to a bench, a truck bed or to a wall, or wherever it is desired to use the device. Also, if desired, two bolts can be used with the clamp to prevent it from turning.

Also, if desired, an angle iron jaw can be held by the clamp in position to clamp a flat article between the angle iron jaw and one of the flanges of the frame.

It will be seen that the clamp can be used for a great number of different purposes in bending and holding articles of various kinds, and that any desired number of the devices can be used on the table. For instance, a second clamp can be placed on the horizontal flange I adjacent the clamp at the top of Figure 1, so as to bend a pipe, for instance, in two different places, so as to provide the pipe with a horizontal limb, a horizontal intermediate portion, and a vertical limb.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim. a

What I claim is:

A clamping device comprising a frame, including side and end portions and each portion having straight parallel sides at right angles to said flat end, one of said sides adapted to bear against one of the flanges when the jaws are secured to the frame, and one face of each jaw having a U- shaped bevel thereon extending around the side 5 and rounded end edges, and adapted to clamp a pipe therebetween for bending the pipe, one of said flanges constituting an abutment for one end of the pipe during said bending action.

LUTHER T. S'I'RINGFIELD. 

